1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the marine winches of the type utilized on sailboats, and more particularly to an articulable clamp ring on a marine winch to improve handling of lines on a boat.
2. Prior Art
Marine winches are conventionally used to adjust lines or halyards of sailing craft. The marine winch typically comprises a base element mounted at an appropriate location on the deck or surface structure of the craft. A vertically oriented drum is journalled therewithin, and is manually actuated by a crank operated gear train acting upon a central driveshaft. The driveshaft is journalled and fixably connected to a drum, typically by means of a splined shaft connection therewith.
The line or halyard is wrapped about the drum, with one end of the line coming from the sail or load being hauled. The other end of the line, the tail end, is run between the lips of a cramp ring at the upper end of the drum. The line gets pulled tightly within the pulley-like cramp ring and often may get wedged tightly therewithin.
If a sailor were holding the end of the line, and the tension on that line were suddenly increased, as by a sudden wind load on the sails or a like, that sailor's fingers may be caught and pulled into the clamp ring possibly creating a serious injury for that sailor.
It is an object of the present invention, to provide a clamp ring assembly for a marine winch, which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention, to provide a marine winch assembly, which will minimize the likelihood of any serious injury occurring because of a sudden tension on a line or halyard.
It is yet a further object of the present invention, to provide a marine winch assembly, which never allows tension in the line or halyard, to exceed a certain safe limit.